


What Makes Us Family

by Alexander_SPAMilton



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Adoption, Anxiety, Child Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Foster Care, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Past Child Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Personal Growth, Sad with a Happy Ending, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-09-02 23:16:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8687365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexander_SPAMilton/pseuds/Alexander_SPAMilton
Summary: Alexander Hamilton had a hard life. The resilient 8 year old had been through many abusive homes, and had finally broken down under the weight of it all. He's given up all hope of ever finding a place to call home again, when he's adopted by the Mulligan family. Taken in by their strange and wondrous world, Alex begins to learn how to define what family means to him.First story, probably shitty.





	1. New

**Author's Note:**

> HEY! this is my first story on AO3, so I'm still trying to figure out how it works. But I love hamilton with an undying passion, and enjoy writing, so I thought I'd give it a go!

Alexander did not like the look of this next house. From just the outside, he could see the walls were thin, the roof was worn, and it was in bad repair. That was surely a sign that whoever would be fostering him next would be doing it for the little money they received, perhaps they had just gotten a layoff? Maybe they were bumming off of someone? Either way, little Alex didn't trust it.

 

He sat in the back curled up around himself, tapping his foot to the rhythm of the car radio. The song that was playing was some dumb pop song, not like Alex liked, but it was better than the silence that would come if he asked for the radio off. Looking beside him on the car seat, he saw the little file he had been given about his next foster parents. With a sigh, he picked it up and swung his legs in his booster seat.

 

Marie‑Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette and Hercules Mulligan. 2 males. Small house, big enough for one child. No criminal record or suspicious activity. At that last one, Alex put down the file with a sigh. Maybe if it had been two years ago, when Alex was 6 he might have been excited. But now he knew all the houses were like that. Until they weren't.

 

Life hadn't been kind to Alexander Hamilton. He had grown up when he was little in Nevis, and what he remembered was the warm sand, the salt air, and echo of his mother's laughter. When he was 5 a hurricane destroyed his town, his mother was killed in it, and he was hurt. He had then been moved to live with his cousin, who all but ignored Alex. John worked long hours, being gone from 5 in the morning until 8 at night. But he always did his best to visit Alex. At some point, however, his cousin got tired and gave up, hanging himself in a locked closet at dawn.

 

Then the foster system had taken him in and he started the loop of going through homes, getting taken out, again, and again. He didn't like to think about those houses. He wasn't going to think about how much it hurt when they'd slap him, or how if he cried they would-

 

“Alex?” Kitty, his social worker looked at him through the rear view mirror. “This is the a last minute place, the last place I could find that would take a… troubled child.” She sighed deeply, and began rubbing her temples. “For me, could you please try to be good?”

 

Alex nodded back at her.”I promise, miss kitty, but…” he looked down at the ground. “It's a little scary. But I can do this!” With a confident smile and moment spent figuring it how to unclip his car seat, he got out of the car and was glad his bluff worked.

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hercules couldn't remember a better sleep in his life. The mattress sang into his sides, his pillow absorbing all of his face, but he could breathe. Just the thought of leaving the bed made him groan, but then again, it was Saturday. He had all day to nap!

 

...or so he thought, until the door burst open with a rapidly speaking Lafayette. He waved his hand at his lover to go away, because he was really not in the mood for an early morning adventure.

 

“Mon chéri, get up! Today is the day that our son arrives!” And Hercules had never been out of his bed faster. “He will get here in about 45 minutes. Mon chérie, your pants are backwards. For a tailor you should be ashamed!”

 

Hercules removed the backwards pants, and quickly put them back on correctly. Soon he was fully dressed, and giving Lafayette a kiss on the cheek. “What do you think he'll be like? So do you think he'll like us? Will he think we're weird? Oh my gosh, what if he thinks I'm weird! La-”

 

Lafayette just smirked at him and placed a careful finger over hercules’s mouth. “Mon ami, please go make a brunch. That would be a nice welcome. No?” Thank god for Lafayette. Hercules had a meaningless task to throw himself into.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Alex walked up the stone steps, keeping himself slightly behind Ms. Kitty. Maybe the new family would hate him. Maybe they were just like everyone else. Maybe they were like the Adams. If they were like the Adams, then- in one two three out one two three. He cut himself off. Best not to go there on the first day.

 

Miss kitty rang the doorbell, and took a step back. She tried to lead Alex around in front of her, but Alex stayed where he was. Suddenly he heard rapid footsteps racing towards the door, laughter, and a shout. He was confused, but then the door opened to reveal his next parents, and oh no.

 

The man on the right was tall, as in larger than 6 feet tall. He was thickly built, but there was also quite a bit of muscle. This huge beast of a man could probably snap Alex in half using only his pinkie fingers. The man on the left carried himself with such dignity and renown he was certain that he would be the one harsher with words.

 

“Hello! Mr. and, uh, Mr. mulligan. I’m kitty livingston, alex’s social worker. I have some really important paperwork across town, so I have to go now, but thank you so much for taking him! Bye!” before Alex could even get a word out, her car door was slamming shut, and the engine was turning over. He turned to face his new family, who both had bewildered expressions.

 

“Well. that woman is strange. Wouldn’t you say so?” Lafayette turned his focus from the now empty spot in the driveway to Alex. Alex was about to open his mouth to speak, when suddenly hercules jumped and turned. Alex instinctively flinched away from the large movement.

 

“My biscuits are burning!” Alex tried to hold in a giggle. He was scared to laugh at his new caretaker (he refused to think of them as parents) because he knew the beating that would come, when he suddenly heard lafayette burst out with rambunctious laughter.

 

“Mon chérie, think about what you’ve said!” he lightly nudged alex, who shrunk back at the sudden physical push. Lafayette took a mental note, then turned to him. “Alex, would you like to come sit at the table? Hercules has prepared a mighty breakfast, burnt biscuits or no.” Lafayette took alex’s hand in his own, and lead him to the table. It was a round table, with four matching chairs spaced equally around the table. Alex took the seat closest to the doorway. Lafayette sat beside him, and hercules on the other side. Hercules, however, brought with him a large spread of food.

 

There were heaping piles of biscuits, a boat of gravy, bacon, eggs, sausage, thick grits slathered in cheese, french toast drenched in syrup, and juice all lined up. Alex’s mouth began to water at the sight of all that food. He hadn’t had that much since… well, ever. He wondered how much he would be allowed to eat, and just thinking made his stomach rumble loudly.

 

“Did I cook too much? Sorry, I cook when I’m nervous and-” Lafayette cut him off with a small smile, and picked up a plate. Glancing over at alex, he saw that the young boy was having trouble with picking. 

 

“Alexander? Dig in, mon petit lion! Take as much as you’d like!” and at those words, alexander began heaping food on his place. ALl of it was soon being crammed into his mouth like he was starving, and oh my god, was that a dish of fruit? Alexander could hardly help his 8 year old self from squealing in delight.

 

When all was said and done, alex had never had anything more delicious in his life. Lafayette stood up, raising his glass of orange juice high. “To Alex!” Hercules raised his glass, but lost his grip, sending orange juice all over himself. Everyone laughed.

 

“May I go to my room?” asked alex. A beat later he added, “um, where is my room?” he smiled softly, but nervously, maybe this home wouldn’t be as bad. Not like the other ones. Not like his life. Lafayette had soon lead him to a bedroom that was small. The walls were slightly bare, only a mirror and a window in the whole room. A bed sat in the corner beside the window, and a dresser sat nearby. Alexander thanked lafayette and sat down on the bed.

 

Letting out a sigh, he leaned back and felt himself relax. So far, they seemed pretty nice. He assumed that he would be given the rules tomorrow, and hoped he wouldn’t need something to show him them “a demonstration” of what happens if he breaks them. Like the last two places.

 

Alexander laid down in his bed. It has been a long day, and he was starting to get tired. So tired. He needed a nap. He could get up later. For now, he needed a nap. Just a short one.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Lafayette sat across the bed from mulligan, concern etched into his features. “Hercules…” he bit his lip. “I am worried for Alex… for mon petit lion. He seemed so hungry, and scared, mon chérie. I am very worried if he is ok. Tomorrow we must talk with him, ok?”

 

“Of course, Lafayette. Whatever you think is best we can do.” With that, he gave Lafayette a kiss on the forehead and they went to sleep.


	2. Late night encounter

   It was exactly 2:37 am when Alexander woke up. He groggily wiped his eyes, glancing at the clock, before freezing. He had done it again.  _ This isn't something 8 year olds should do.  _ He had wet the bed, and on the first night in his new home!  _ They'll laugh at you, they'll hate you, I hate you, everyone does. No one will say it though. _ Alex got up and considered his options.

 

  1. Get lafayette. That's a no, he's too scared to get him. He would get mad, he would yell and get Hercules
  2. Get hercules. Definite no. He was strong and big and might hit Alex or do
  3. Run away. Not enough food. No coat, bad idea
  4. Find the washing machine and clean everything up.



 

     Number four was the only viable option. As quietly as an eight year old could, Hamilton carefully peeled the sheets off of the bed. He put on fresh clothes, and added the dirty ones to the washing pile as well. 

 

     He carefully gathered all the washing up. He had to stick his head to the side to see where he was going, but that was ok. He wandered about the house, checking every room he saw, until he found the washer and dryer.

 

     Opening the washer, he dumped the acrid smelling sheets and pajamas into it. He found the soap and poured the entire capful, not sure of how much he should have been using. After dumping the contents of the cap into the proper place (he hoped) he started the machine. Now he just had to sit and wait until it was done.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

     Hercules mulligan woke up in the night to an overwhelming need for something to drink. His throats was as dry as a desert, and course as a pile of sand. Being careful not to wake Lafayette, hercules snuck into the hallway and down to the kitchen. He grabbed a water bottle and chugged it down, gasping at the end, when he heard it.

 

     “I'm a diamond in the rough, a shining piece of coal…” a voice on the other side of the house was fading in and out of words, singing slightly off key, quietly, nervously. Suddenly it clicked with him that Alex was singing. 

 

      Mulligan crossed the house to see Alex sitting in front of the washing machine, the cycle almost completed. He didn't remember starting any laundry, and he sure as hell knew laf didn't. 

 

    “Alex?” And as soon as he turned and saw Hercules, his face paled.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

    Alex was starting to get tired, but knew that if he fell asleep, he wouldn't wake up 

to move the laundry. To keep himself awake, he started singing a song  he'd heard the other day. The music was calming and nice, and kept him from thinking too hard. Soon, though, he was lost in it, and no longer paying attention.

 

    “Alex?” He snapped his head over to see  Hercules mulligan John Adams standing over him.  Smirking looking at him with concern.

 

    “I-I was just- I woke up a-and- I, m-meant t-to” Hercules leaned in, and gave him a kind but firm look. He breathed in deeply, making a show of inhaling loudly and letting it go slowly. He got Alex to join him in his endeavour of breathing.

 

     “Now Alex, what happened?” Hercules smiled at Alex calmly. He slowly let himself drop lower to the ground, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible. He sat beside Alex on the floor, and slowly moved his hand to Alex’s shoulder. He softly kneaded the tense boy’s muscles while keeping a soft smile.

 

      “I… I wet the bed.” Alex hung his head, and looked to the side. He could feel the blood rushing to his checks, he could feel the tears threatening to fall. He knew if he lied about it, the punishment would be worse.

 

     “Alex, go to your room, and take a minute to calm down. I'll be there with sheets in a moment, and we can make the bed. Is that ok?” Hercules gently removed his hand from Alex's shoulder.

 

       “Ok.” Alex stood up and walked towards his room. He should have known. He knew as soon as he was in there, he would be pushed, and hit, and grabbed and so so so much worse. He walked into his room, and started getting ready.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

      Hercules mulligan moved the religiously clean sheets to the drier. It was clear that more soap than needed had been used, but it managed to work out. He started the drying cycle and walked over to the linen closet, grabbing a set of twin sized sheet.

 

     On his way to alex’s room, he stopped by the kitchen. After digging around in the cabinets a short while, he found a ton of cookies, and pulled one out for Alex. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed one for himself as well.

 

     He walked up the stairs, climbing up quietly so as not to awake lafayette. He carefully opened the door to Alex's room, and what he saw was somewhere between terrifying and saddening.

 

     Alex was standing there, with no shirt on. He was facing Hercules directly, but his head was hung with shame. His torso was covered in scars, some little sets of slivers from where someone's nails had dug into his side, others were long lash shaped crescents, blooming across his chest in a crisscrossed pattern. There were carefully placed burn scars, not too long healed over. Placed in careful rows along his sides. 

 

    His body itself was upsetting. His ribs jutted out from his side, his stomach a concave pit in the middle of his body. His pants were a little low. And Hercules could see his hip bones wickedly stabbing out, pointed and sharp, and bruised. Layered black and green and purple creating vague hands. His arms were bone thin, his elbows becoming knots in a rope. His right arm was extended, holding out a belt.

 

     “I'm sorry for wetting the bed sir. It isn't an ok thing for an 8 year old to do. I'm ready for your punishment.” The poor boy’s entire body was shaking, and the belt quivered along with him.

 

    Hercules walked over, and pushed Alex's arm to his side. “Alex, I would never do anything to hurt you. Lafayette and I are so happy to have you here; we would never hit you, or do anything like that.” Hercules held out to two cookies he had brought up with him. “I brought is some cookies?”

 

     Alex broke down sobbing, letting the belt drop to the floor. He reached out to Hercules and made grabby hands, choosing not to speak as he so often did, ever since the Adams family. When Hercules dropped the sheets and pulled him closer, Alex immediately curled into him, his body shaking and heaving with sobs. When Hercules gave him the cookie, he ate it through his tears.

 

     When he finally stopped crying, Hercules picked him up and let him rest in his hip. He carefully placed the sheets into the bed, fluffing the pillows and pulling the quilt back so Alex would be comfortable.

 

     “Ready to go to bed little buddy?” Hercules asked, glancing at him. Alex simply nodded in response and Hercules tucked him in. He gave him a little kiss on the forehead, and turned to go, but Alex wrapped his hands in his shirt.

 

      “Don't go…” and so Hercules sat on the floor by his bed and waited.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Lafayette woke out without his husband by his side, he was terrified. Immediately he ran to Alex's room and threw the door open, to see Alex asleep in the bed and Hercules asleep on the floor beside him. Deciding not to wake them, he walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm almost done with chapter three, it should be out in a few days!


End file.
